Book Review: ‘Love? Maybe’ by Heather Hepler

Last week was Valentine’s Day, a day that people either adore or scorn. For Love? Maybe’s main character, Piper, it’s the latter. Piper is not a fan of love, or at least the romantic kind. She’s watched her mom suffer through heartbreak too many times, after both her father and step-father had left them. What makes Valentine’s Day all the worse is that February 14^th is also Piper’s birthday. Love? Maybe is a cute, light read. The story isn’t very original, but it is a fun book to read, especially around the time of Valentine’s Day.

After her best friend, Claire, gets dumped by her boyfriend, Piper and their other friend, Jillian, decide to make a plan. The Plan is to all have dates for Valentine’s Day this year. Jillian is the most boy-crazy of the group, so she’s the mastermind behind all the girls’ missions to secure a date with the “right” boy. Piper isn’t interested in dating. Every boy she dates, she ends up pushing away or thinks up ridiculous excuses as to why she can’t be with him. However when she lands a date with her “ideal,” Ben Donovan, she can’t help but change her mind a little about love and romance.

Piper’s world is peppered with many supporting characters. We have her two girlfriends, Claire and Jillian; her mom and two way younger (and rambunctious) siblings, Lucy and Dom; Charlie, the boy next door; Ben Donovan, the most popular guy in school; Jeremy, the nerdy boy crushing on Jillian; and finally Jan, the owner of the chocolate shop where Piper works. All these characters help make this story fun with how they counter Piper’s everlasting cynicism on love. Jan is one of my favorites. He gives Piper the love and support that she was missing from her two abandoned dads. Her life is crazy busy too, from going to school, working and taking care of her siblings. Piper hardly ever has time to relax. I mean, halfway through the book, she was tiring me out.

As for Piper’s cynicism, it is quite funny. I enjoyed reading her thoughts on love and romance. But it wasn’t all light and fluffy. There is some drama there. The story just skims the surface of the drama, and maybe ties it all up a little too neatly, but that’s what I expected. Still, the author managed to make Piper a believable character. I saw much of myself in her, especially the cynicism and fear of getting heartbroken. That added a new interesting dimension to what would have been a shallow story.

I definitely recommend Love? Maybe to anyone looking for sweet story with the Valentine’s Day touch. And much thanks to the publisher, we’re giving away a copy of Love? Maybe as part of our TYF Most Romantic Couples Giveaway! Go enter now! The contest ends this Wednesday (Feb. 22)!

Rating: 3.5/5 stars

Love? Maybe is now in bookstores. You can purchase it at our TYF Store!

Book info:

Publisher:  Dial Books (January 5, 2012)
Length: 272 pages, Hardcover
Format: Hardcover
Genre: Young Adult, Romance, High School, Valentine’s Day
Completed: February 2012

Advertisement